Science academies of 13 nations urge G8 to tackle climate change

Ahead of the G8 summit in Japan next month, the science academies of 13 nations, including the United States, urged the G8 nations as well as Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and South Africa (G8+5) to agree to cut world greenhouse-gas emissions in half by 2050. “We urge G8+5 leaders to make maximum efforts to carry this forward and commit to these emission reductions,” the academies said in a statement. “Progress in reducing global greenhouse-gas emission has been slow. … Key vulnerabilities include water resources, food supply, health, coastal settlements, and some ecosystems, particularly Arctic, tundra, alpine, and coral reef.” This is not the first time the academies have pleaded for meaningful climate action, and it likely won’t be the last time their counsel is ignored. At last year’s summit, despite similar urging from scientists, only six of the G8 nations came out in favor of pursuing the halving-emissions goal — the U.S. and Russia opposed it.